The following book review is a special for BlackFive readers provided by Elise Cooper. You can read all of our book reviews by clicking on the Books category link on the far right sidebar. Tom Clancy’s Full Force And Effect by Mark Greaney keeps the Jack Ryan legacy alive. The characters of ...

U.S. sailors guide an F/A-18C Hornet on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Arabian Gulf, Aug. 8, 2014. The carrier is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. The Hornet is ass...

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren said that John Kerry was not invited to ceasefire talks led by Egypt in a major rebuke to the US,. "Oren cited the Obama administration’s strained relations with Egypt, and the “tension” in ties between the US and Israel. To Israel’s chagrin, he said, America has ...

The follies that are talks with the Iranians about their nuclear weapons program are ongoing and just as substance free as ever. The chances are near zero that the Ayatollahs will give up their decades long plan to become the second nuclear power in the Middle East. But if you listen to the repo...

July 27th is a notable date, the ending of the Korean War. It is hard to believe that sixty years have passed; yet, this conflict still makes the headlines with the despotic North Korean leaders constantly calling for genocide against the South Koreans and Americans. Best-selling military fict...

Agree -government abuse and the 4th (among other) Amendments should be the focus. UJ and his cohorts are channeling Yon by focusing on 2nd tier issues.
Reports of IRS Agents training with M-16/AR-15 rifles and some are still gazing at their naval asking, "Duh, well was he really SF". Who gives a shit? Wait until more facts are known then make a ONE paragraph post about it.
Not especially cordially,
Ron

NSA leaker Ed Snowden claimed to have broken both of his legs while training for Special Forces. In 2003, he enlisted in the US army and began a training program to join the Special Forces. Invoking the same principles that he now cites to justify his leaks, he said: "I wanted to fight in the I...

If the NSA targeted ONLY Islamic Extremists and known associates I would not be as concerned. And I most emphatically do no trust ANY Government entity under the control or influence of BHO or his minions.
I'm not even sure how much I trust our military anymore, at least on the senior levels. Troopers, yeah, anyone else, not so much.

NSA leaker Ed Snowden claimed to have broken both of his legs while training for Special Forces. In 2003, he enlisted in the US army and began a training program to join the Special Forces. Invoking the same principles that he now cites to justify his leaks, he said: "I wanted to fight in the I...

Totally agree with NJSoldier. "I'm far more interested our domestic spy agency than this guy's MOS. I thought only the bad guys had a Stassi or NKVD." A hell of lot more important than attacks on Snowden.
Too many of the others here have the Michael Yon syndrome.

NSA leaker Ed Snowden claimed to have broken both of his legs while training for Special Forces. In 2003, he enlisted in the US army and began a training program to join the Special Forces. Invoking the same principles that he now cites to justify his leaks, he said: "I wanted to fight in the I...

Yeah, heard and read the same myopic stuff in 1970 -from a few local grunts and all the way to Nixon and McNamara. AF is gone, the only question is how many more troops are we going to let be killed there.
How long will those "Positive Changes" last when we are gone?

The following was written by a USMC Corporal on what he views as progress in Helmand. While it should be noted that this young man is a combat correspondent, he is also a Marine. This is his view alone: U.S. Marine Cpl. Reece Lodder, a combat correspondent with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Re...

You may not have heard the news that the F-35B, the Marine Corps variant of the next generation fighter which was put on 2 year probation by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, is very near coming off that probation. And you may also not have heard that the Marines are very bullish on the aircra...

Many, or at least some, of this sites hosts are less than fans of Mr. Yon. Unfortunate as Michael has some excellent and unique insight into what is happening in Iraq and the AF.
And, unlike others, he is "boots on the ground", and has been for years. Does he get off the reservation sometimes -sure. That ought not detract from the totality of the information he provides.

Below is an Op-Ed submission from a soldier (and Army pal of mine) in Afghanistan: Making Might Right Day by day, there are pundits and politicians calling for an end to the U.S. actions in Afghanistan. Yet, one never hears the same learned individuals explain what is to happen in Afghanistan ...

Mr. Sparkle: Using "The Kill Team" scam piece in RS is a low blow. If certain events occured, they were certainly very limited and certainly NOT condoned by any person of responsible authority. RS is not what I would use as a proof source, and as you well know, RS is (are most mags), all about increasing readership, not accuracy.
I think I stated my position fairly well - we pull out, any tribal leader that supports persons exporting violence loses his life, and the continued existence of the village. Our taking over an area today, leaving, and having it go back to our enemy is nuts. I still vividly remember VN and DO NOT want a repeat. My guess is that most of the readership here was not in uniform during our SEA adventure -I was.
Your statement of "..doped up Afghan army or child raping police force..." That is the AF's problem, and once again, no, I do not give a damn. It is thier problem, they solve it, or we permanently solve it for them, province by province.
A bit simplistic I admit, but I want us to stop wasting blood and money in a futile effort.

Below is an Op-Ed submission from a soldier (and Army pal of mine) in Afghanistan: Making Might Right Day by day, there are pundits and politicians calling for an end to the U.S. actions in Afghanistan. Yet, one never hears the same learned individuals explain what is to happen in Afghanistan ...

BS. Salt the earth on every tribe/province/region that sends our supports those that kill Americans.
Or, turn the whole fracking place into a glass parking lot. I-do-not-care-about-the-AF's. At all!
We need to get the hell out -what, substantially, materially and of a long-lasting benefit have we accomplished in the last then years there? Other than make a good start for another black wall with a list of names to be put on the DC Mall.

Below is an Op-Ed submission from a soldier (and Army pal of mine) in Afghanistan: Making Might Right Day by day, there are pundits and politicians calling for an end to the U.S. actions in Afghanistan. Yet, one never hears the same learned individuals explain what is to happen in Afghanistan ...

The country of Egypt is poised to adopt some form of democracy, that seems fairly certain. Many fear that the Muslim Brotherhood will be part of this process and attempt to dominate it. Well of course they will. They are Egyptians and while their group has been illegal, and rightfully so, do we ...

Pakistan is not so much an ally as a co-conspirator and we are only in on a small number of the conspiracies they are running. It is not even accurate to say Pakistan is not an ally, there are many competing agendas within Pakistan and we have different deals with many of them including the gove...

Courtesy of LL, here is a very talented young lady playing the original version of Taps, known as "Last Post" (aka Il Silenzio). Take the time to listen to it all the way through, it is well worth doing. LW Who knows that Bugler Bob in Germany will appreciate this... UPDATE: ...

In a video from the Hannity show on FoxNews, spending Christmas with the troops on the frontlines is featured. More specifically, the Screaming Eagles are featured. And Soldiers' Angels and Operation Care Package are also in the video. Last time I checked a week or two ago, Soldiers' Angels sp...

When I attended the annual Candlight Ceremony for our SEA POW/MIA, arranged by the USMC Reserve and the local Rolling Thunder Chapter, each of were requested to take one of the luminaries at the end of the event.
Mine is dedicated to those that have fought, and are fighting, in the Global War on Terrorists.
It will remain on my front porch, lit, thru the Holidays.
Never Forget

[Annual Repost - first post December 7, 2005] Subsunk here. December is upon us. The winds are howling and the snow is falling in much of America. I came in to work today and found this in my inbox. Folks at work know I am very pro-military, and look out for things like this for me. I don't...

Wow. What a Merry Christmas in the COB6 household! Got word late last night from proud dad and fellow blogger COB6 that his son has received his SECOND Bronze Star, this one with a 'V'-device, and his, get this, THIRD Purple Heart. Here's some of the details on what SGT S did: The incident o...

Ever wondered what it'd be like to parachute into one of the largest college football stadiums in the world, with 113,000 cheering on your landing? Well, it's exactly like this. The jump was made earlier this season by Sgt. Adam Sniffen from the 101st Airborne Division; he was delivering the gam...

I think it should be obvious – even to Sen. McCain – that DADT is going to be repealed at some point whether anyone likes it or not. That repeal can be a purposeful one, implemented in a way in which the military can decide on a timeline and methodology by which to do so, or it can be by a cour...

I took a few hours today to spend with Currahee mountain, made famous by the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. They took its name as their motto: originally, it is Cherokee for "Stands Alone." The mountain does in fact stand alone, being a sort of rear guard for the Appalachians. Here be...

There are a total of 535 legislators in Congress - 435 House members and 100 Senators. Many of us here have talked about the absolute necessity of seeing veterans of military service among those who make our nation's laws, for obvious reasons. Well, take heart veterans - we're better off today i...

There are a total of 535 legislators in Congress - 435 House members and 100 Senators. Many of us here have talked about the absolute necessity of seeing veterans of military service among those who make our nation's laws, for obvious reasons. Well, take heart veterans - we're better off today i...

We've certainly paid the price to give the I's a chance -up to them now.
Hopefully the Kurds are in a position to kick Sunni or Shia butt if they try to force their hand. I don't read much about the Kurds anymore other than an occasional reference from Mr. Totten about them.

This has got to be big news all over the media right? I mean in a direct attack a religious minority was attacked and nearly all of them were killed or wounded in their place of worship. >Iraqi Christianity has suffered another catastrophic blow that is likely to hasten the church’s wholesale ...